Article
A conversation with the You Yes You! Project, the FSSA SECC charity of choice
FSSA’s SECC charity of choice this year is the You Yes You! Project, the only organization within the Indiana Department of Correction that focuses exclusively to help fathers stay connected to their children during incarceration. The Hub recently meet with Ericka Sanders, founder and executive director of the You Yes You! Project, to learn more about their work, how FSSA services can play an important role and how the SECC funds raised will be used and hear about one of their success stories.
The Hub: How did the You Yes You! Project come about?
Ericka Sanders: You Yes You! Project began as a one-off father daughter dance I organized in 2014. It was the first of its kind to take place in an Indiana Correctional Facility. I was asked by the Indiana Department of Correction to do a dance the following year and I agreed. However, when I returned to get feedback, the fathers had just as many re-entry questions as they did reconnection questions. I realized that in order for the fathers to be the dads they want to be, it’s imperative that they are provided necessary resources prior to being released. Our mission is to help build relationships between incarcerated fathers and their children and strengthen their abilities to be fathers. Our programming is currently at Putnamville Correctional Facility. We hope to expand into two additional facilities in 2022.
TH: Did the pandemic affect the work of the You Yes You! Project?
ES: The pandemic absolutely affected our work. We were unable to go inside Putnamville Correctional Facility for 15 months. Our programs and activities are done inside, so we were unable to do either. During the beginning of the pandemic, Putnamville didn’t offer a virtual option due to the inability for the fathers to socially distance. I kept the fathers abreast of the happenings with YYY by providing a letter that was distributed to them on their tablets. Since we were unable to go inside the facility, we turned our attention to submitting grants and gaining additional community partners and funders.
TH: What FSSA services or divisions have you worked with?
ES: I haven’t directly worked with any FSSA divisions although I have had conversations with the Division of Mental Health and Addiction and have directed families to Indiana 211.
TH: How do FSSA services benefit an individual when they are being released from the Department of Correction?
ES: So many ways! We are an organization that focuses on being proactive and many of FSSA services would allow us to help our fathers before and after being released. For example, the Division of Mental Health and Addiction would benefit our fathers by helping provide crucial mental health services during incarceration that could continue after they are released. The division could also help us identify addiction services that would play a key role keeping our fathers sober and out of prison. The Division of Family Resources can benefit our fathers and their families by helping guide them through the process of applications such as Medicaid and TANF. Many of our families are impacted by child care and the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning could help close that gap.
TH: How will the funds raised from the State Employees’ Community Campaign benefit the You Yes You! Project?
ES: We would use the funds to :
- Provide fathers with clothes, shoes and toiletries on an as-needed basis as they are leaving prison.
- Provide fathers with 31-Day bus passes
- Provide coats, hats and gloves for children in need
- Provide basic needs help for families of the incarcerated father (for example: groceries, gas cards, monthly utility bills)
TH: Do you have a success story you could share?
ES: Anthony, was one of our fathers who was released in July 2019 to the Potter’s House, a 12-month live-in substance abuse facility in North Vernon. Anthony graduated from the program in July 2020 and was offered a position as a live-in substance counselor at Potter’s House! A year and half later, he recently purchased a home and is starting his own pool maintenance business.
Make a donation:
If you would like to make a one-time donation to the You Yes You! Project by using your debit or credit card or electronic check please visit the SECC website and click on "Donate Now" and once you are logged in, follow the instructions on choosing a charity or charities to donate to and the amount you wish to donate. Additional guidance on how to make a one-time donation can be found in the “How to Give Guide,” available by clicking here.
A handful of divisions have set up one-time donation pages, linked below, to benefit the You Yes You! Project, which may also be used to donate.